title: Cryptococcus gattii infection in a Spanish pet ferret (Mustela putorius furo) and asymptomatic carriage in ferrets and humans from its environment.
abstract: A domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) was presented with lymphadenopathy and acute bilateral blindness. Cytologic evaluation and biopsy of an affected lymph node revealed pyogranulomatous lymphadenitis with intralesional yeast consistent with Cryptococcus sp. Subsequent studies demonstrated Cryptococcus gattii serotype B VGI/AFLP4 as the causative agent. The ferret was treated with fluconazole and prednisone. After one month of therapy, an improvement of the clinical symptoms was detected although blindness persisted. Seven months after presentation, the disease progressed to a severe neurologic condition, and it was euthanized. Postmortem exam revealed disseminated cryptococcosis with prominent neurologic involvement. Nasal swabs of other ferrets and humans from the same household revealed that two ferrets and two humans to be asymptomatic carriers of the same strain of cryptococcus as the necropsied ferret. These findings stress the importance of veterinary diagnostic work with pets and epidemiological investigations for disease prevention in them and in their owners.
authors.affiliation: Clínica Exòtics, Barcelona, Spain. neus_morera@yahoo.es
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morera
authors.forename: Carles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Juan-Sallés
authors.forename: Josep M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreu
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: María Ángeles
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Zamora
authors.forename: M Francisca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Colom
mesh_terms: D054458:Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001706:Biopsy; D001766:Blindness / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D003453:Cryptococcosis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D056285:Cryptococcus gattii / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005289:Ferrets; D015725:Fluconazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016919:Meningitis, Cryptococcal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D058889:Molecular Typing; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D057805:Pets; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D015725:Fluconazole; D011241:Prednisone